Toastmasters

[amused]

I've joined a local group, first time to go is next week. Has anyone done this, and have any advice?

[Animavore]

What is it?

[amused]

http://www.toastmasters.org/

It's a group of small local groups where you learn to do public speaking and get over the fear of doing it.

[Trinity]

I attended an assertiveness group once! Go with an open mind-no expectations. If you're nervous, then probably everyone else is too, otherwise they wouldn't be there!! The group speaker/teacher (?) will know how to structure the meeting and hopefully also "hold" the space, to make you all feel welcome and confident. Usually in these groups, anything shared is confidential. Good luck and have fun!!

[Bella Fortuna]

I was in Toastmasters for about a year (I did it as part of my performance goals for work years ago). Nice folks, but I loathed it and public speaking has never gotten easier for me.

[Rum]

I wish I had known about this when I was working. I used to have to speak in front of large groups - up to 100 when a bunch of school reps got together for one thing or another but I never felt I quite had the right skills or natural confidence!

Oh well too late now..thank goodness!

[Animavore]

I love public speaking. I was so miffed my dad and brother got to do speeches at my sister's wedding and I didn't

They came on all shy and embarrassed, muttering some thanks to people. I was all primed and ready for a roasting

[amused]

I've read some of the Toastmasters prep material and it's interesting in that, again, the advice is to tell a story. We're primed to hear stories, and that advice runs through a lot of situations. I'm doing this in preparation to move into the marketing side of design-build. Since I've tried my hand at screenwriting and fiction, and done a lot of the study for that, the storytelling advice is already very familiar.

I might be very good at this...

[maiforpeace]

I am a current member, and have been for 4 years of club 8203, Redwood Ramblers Toastmasters

I can only sing praises of the organization... it's a very supportive, nurturing atmosphere to overcome the fear of public speaking and to develop leadership skills. And the cost is very reasonable.

I am our current treasurer (the website needs updating, I was VP of membership last year) and have held every other leadership position in our club. I've competed in speech contests, and am working on getting my silver.

The title of my second project was "Misconceptions about Atheists"

[amused]

I'm not afraid of speaking in front of a group as long as I know the subject matter. I want to know the current theory on the basic tools because part of the job that I want will involve coaching the presentation team for the oral interview portion of a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) response. A lot of the time that team is required by the RFQ to be comprised of the engineers and project managers who will do the work. That type of person is frequently very good at the work itself, but not so good at speaking in front of a group. What we want to see from the owner's side is confidence born out of competence, and you have to be able to project that competence during the oral presentation.

[Audley Strange]

Bah I thought this was going to be someone benchtesting toasters!!!

Dammit!

[maiforpeace]

I'm not afraid of speaking in front of a group as long as I know the subject matter. I want to know the current theory on the basic tools because part of the job that I want will involve coaching the presentation team for the oral interview portion of a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) response. A lot of the time that team is required by the RFQ to be comprised of the engineers and project managers who will do the work. That type of person is frequently very good at the work itself, but not so good at speaking in front of a group. What we want to see from the owner's side is confidence born out of competence, and you have to be able to project that competence during the oral presentation.

You'll do great then, especially your first project, the Icebreaker which is simply getting over the fear...each subsequent project builds on various aspects of giving an effective speech such as organization, body language and using visual aids to name a few. You'll be assigned an evaluator who will give an evaluation of your speech. As long as you are working on the particular project, you can adapt any topic to it, so it's the perfect opportunity to practice a work presentation before having to give one...as you say, as long as you know the topic, you're fine with it, so now you can just fine tune your presentation skills to be the most effective speaker you can be.

[apophenia]

My group was totally casual. I can't speak for your group, but I found my experience at Toastmasters to be one of the most supportive experiences in my life. Everybody there had one goal, to help each other succeed. I wouldn't worry about preparing and doing things right the first time — you're there to learn, and learning involves making mistakes. If your group is anything like mine was, the mistakes can be the funnest part. We were constantly ribbing each other about this and that. It was all just good clean fun, in spades.

[mistermack]

I've never heard of it, but I suffer from a phobia of public speaking.
It really is that, as it's a totally unreasonable fear. Like most phobias, people who don't have it can't understand it, BECAUSE phobias are by definition totally illogical. You know perfectly well that there is nothing to be afraid of, and yet it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference.

When you've had a phobia for years, it's fear of the fear itself, rather than just the object of fear. Fear of being out of control. You fear your own reaction, more than the perceived threat.
I also have a fear of heights, and I'm more scared of losing it and doing something stupid, than I am of an accident happening. It's the knowledge of your own possible loss of control that makes it so much worse. A kind of chain reaction.

I know phobias can be beaten, because with practice you can be more confident that you won't panic, so you lessen the fear of fear itself.
Toastmasters sounds great, but as I'm good at getting out of public speaking, by simply refusing, I probably won't go for it. Sounds like it could be fun though.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm extremely shy and retiring, this may be just the thing to get me out of my shell.